the online community newspaper for Nailsea people, their family and their friends

April 2017

Our town is a very nice town

FLOWER PEEPS

Report, results and photographs from Nailsea & District Horticultural Society spring show and other envirnomentally-friendly groups other than gardeners. For inclusion on the page email nailseapeople@gmail.com

TOWN COUNCIL

Nailsea Town Council annual meeting on Wednesday, April 19, is open to all residents many of whom come along to collect grant cheques, honour community heroes and complain or praise decisions made on their behalf during the past year

TESCO NAILSEA

Tesco Nailsea works for its community and supports lots of local projects in the town - for more details about the High Street store and to learn how they reunited a Nailsea couple with a lost wedding ring click HERE

Footballers' Heroes Day

Nailsea United Football Club is hosting a very special Heroes Day at its home ground at Grove Sports Centre.
The charity and fundraising event is on Sunday, May 28, kick-off 11am.
Club president Roger Lock said: “During the past couple of seasons the club has experienced some devastating losses.
“The extremely sad deaths of James Colman, John Hobbs and Derek Hucker, all hit the club incredibly hard and although there have been and will be many ways and events by which people will remember them, the club has been looking to come up with a single event where it can collectively celebrate their lives and where something positive can evolve out of so much widespread sadness.”

James died aged just 22 in March 2016 from an undiagnosed heart condition;
Club secretary for 56 years John ‘Hobbo’ Hobbs, aged 78, suffered significant health problems in his last year and died in July; and
In October Derek Hucker, a dedicated player and one of the club’s most successful first team managers, died of motor neurone disease at 56 years.

Roger added: “A day dedicated to their memory and where both charitable and club funds can be raised was considered to be the most fitting.”
The chosen charities are Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), Cancer Research UK and the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).
Heroes Day will incorporate a series of special commemorative matches with four teams competing for a trophy.
The teams will be made up of the three Somerset County Premier winning squads who each won that honour during the past 12 years and the fourth, team mates of James Colman at youth and senior level.
The winners of the ‘round robin’ tournament will be presented with the Dave Williams Memorial Trophy.
Dave was a long serving club chairman who sadly passed away in 2008 and the event will also give everyone the opportunity to remember him.
During the matches there will be a raffle and a collection for the charities.
The club will also be running a licensed bar and serving hot food and in the evening there will be a DJ and entertainment in a large marquee next to the main pitch with free entry.
The club is busy contacting as many players as possible who played in the memorable championship winning teams and those who played alongside James.
And they would also love to hear from anyone associated with the four teams.
Community donations and raffle prizes from supporters are very welcome.
Contact club chairman Spencer Lee for further details on 0782 151 0437.
Meanwhile 10 friends are preparing to climb four mountains in memory of James to add to the amount being raised for CRY.
The Colman 4 Mountain Challenge will run from Sunday to Monday, April 30-May 1 when James’ friends will scale four mountains in north and south Wales in 24 hours.
Stuart Lee, who has organised the challenge, said: “The idea for this event was born out of the fact that James’ shirt number was four and at 6ft 5in he was a tall guy.
“Mountain climbing therefore seemed like a great way to get active and honour his memory.
“We’d love as many people as possible to join in so we’ve made the last of our four walks as accessible as possible.
“At approximately 45 minutes from Bristol, our last walk at Sugar Loaf Mountain will be a chance to celebrate the closing stages of the challenge and remember James in your own special way.”
Visit www.nailseaunited.co.uk to join in or sponsor them at www.virginmoneygiving.com/colman4.
Stuart added; “Our motives are obviously very clear for us as we have well over 100 members under the age of 30.
“Because this is not just about paying a fitting tribute to such a kind friend and talented footballer, but to ensure that any other young footballer or athlete understands the risks and the importance of their health.”

Two Nailsea bikers

Dedicated Nailsea doctor Jon Rees is taking time out from the surgery by signing up for his fourth charity bike ride in support of medical services in Zanzibar this summer.
Although a picture postcard island, life is impoverished for the native population.
Dr Rees, aged 45, said: “This year sees my fourth bike ride in the past seven years to raise money for Health Improvement Project Zanzibar - and my third time lapping Zanzibar on two wheels.
“Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me in the past - the bike rides have made a huge difference to our finances at HIPZ, and enabled us to continue to provide an ever-improving service at Kivunge and Makunduchi hospitals.”
All that pedal power has certainly paid off as thanks to the past support of Nailsea and Backwell people Kivunge Hospital was able to open an out-patients department and specialist clinics.
Dr Rees added: “The Primary Health Care Unit was completed in 2015 and is already working hard to improve the well-being of the area it serves.
“HIPZ requires just 46 pence per patient per year.
“This is possible due to our unique partnership with the local government - it means that every penny donated makes an enormous difference to us.
“I am paying all my own costs for the bike ride, so 100 per cent of any donation goes towards our work in Zanzibar.
“HIPZ has now been working on Zanzibar for just over 10 years - at our two hospitals, we are now responsible for providing healthcare for just over 250,000 people.
“Before HIPZ, the hospitals were in a bad state now we have a comprehensive maternity service able to perform caesarean sections, operating theatres, renovate wards and more.
“We are adding a psychiatric service, improved dental care and have started a blood pressure clinic but there are many other areas that need further improvement”.
In the past Nailsea & Backwell, Portishead and Stonehouse, Gloucestershire clubs joined in the fundraising spearheaded by British Red Cross finance manager and Portishead Rotarian Clive Hawkins who applied for ‘matched funding’ from Rotary International raising nearly £70,000.
Despite its idyllic setting life expectancy on the island was just 47 years and before the charity was set up one in 180 women died in childbirth.
Life expectancy is now 57 years, which is still significantly lower than the 2010 world average of 67.2.
The latest figures show that the child mortality rate in Zanzibar is 73 out of 1,000 live births, which is 21.5 percent lower than the rate in mainland Tanzania.
It is estimated that 12 per cent of children on Zanzibar have acute malnutrition.
HIPZ is currently responsible for the health and well-being of nearly a quarter of a million people living on the impoverished archipelago which is 40km off the coast of Tanzania, East Africa.
Back in June 2013 the Brockway Medical Centre GP was joined on a sponsored bike ride by the pop star, television presenter and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Peter Andre around the tropical island in the Indian Ocean.
Peter Andre got involved when he was operated on by HIPZ founder and consultant surgeon Ru MacDonagh at Musgrove Park Hospital.
Now 42 he is married Dr MacDonagh’s daughter Emily and the couple have two young children.
Urologist Dr MacDonagh who was awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2016 new year’s honours list was a VIP guest at the official PHCU opening in December.
Dr Rees originally went cycling with friends in 2010 to help improve an impoverished hospital at Makunduchi but since then the project has grown along with the number of patients it can help.
In 2011 the sponsored ride went from London to Paris.
Dr Rees and his wife Seema, also 45, a GP at Portishead, have three children - Krishan, eight, and 14-year-old twins Kamran and Jaya and the family live in Bristol.
The next cycle is in June 2017 and you can sponsor Dr Rees by clicking HERE.

Tough get going

Police beat sergeant Mark Raby is trying to raise £300 to pay for disabled and deserving children from Nailsea and nearby to take part in Tough As Nails charity assault course this summer.

To do this he is going on a sponsored 140 mile bike ride in April from the north west to the north east coast over both the Lake and Peak districts.

To contribute go to the crowdfunding site now by clicking HERE.

The annual fun event is on Sunday, July 16, at Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club.

All competitors get a commemorative T-shirt and medal.

To find out more and get an entry form email toughasnailsnailsea@gmail.com.

Nailsea fire up above

Fire engines from across North Somerset raced to a blaze in the roof of two homes in Nailsea on Thursday, April 6.
Officers from Avon & Somerset Fire Rescue Service were at the scene at the corner of Clevedon Road and Stockway North for several hours.
The alarm went out at 11.55am when the fire was discovered in the town centre semi-detached properties at Chapel Close.
Fire appliances from Nailsea, Bedminster, Clevedon, Portishead and Temple all attended and four officers wearing breathing apparatus entered the homes which were empty at the time.
Police closed the road by the busy traffic lights while the incident was being dealt with.
Fire brigade spokesman James Bladon said: “There have been no reports of anyone injured and the cause is still being investigated.”

It is believed solar panels could be to blame.

One of the properties, and extended 4-bed is being offered for sale at £350,000 by Heritage and has a 'for sale' notice in the front garden.

Made in Bristol producer and presenter of the Subs Bench programme Nigel Turner posted film he captured of the fire on social media.

He said: So there I was editing video for tomorrow's Subs Bench when the call comes in that two houses are on fire nearby.

"It turns out that it was the solar panels on the roof which caused it and the fire then spread to next door.

"Something to think about if you've got panels on your roof ."

Eye witness Jacqui Nelson said: “There were a lot of disgruntled drivers and the buses had to be diverted while the road was closed for approximately three hours.”